Sakshi petition against CBI action dismissed

Hyderabad, May 14 (IANS) A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court Monday dismissed petitions by the Sakshi Group owned by YSR Congress Party leader Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy challenging the freezing of its bank accounts.

Pronouncing the orders reserved last Thursday, the court dismissed the three petitions filed by Jagati Publications, Indira Television and Janani Infrastructure, all owned by Jaganmohan Reddy, known as Jagan.

The CBI, which is probing Jagan’s alleged illegal assets, on May 7 froze the bank accounts of the three companies.

Jagati Publications, which publishes the Telugu daily Sakshi, Indira Television, which runs the 24-hour news channel Sakshi, and infrastructure firm Janani challenged the CBI action on the ground that it was done with malafide intention.

Jagan had also described the freezing of bank accounts as an attack on the freedom of press.

The investigating agency, however, defended its action, saying it was taken solely in the interest of the state.